The bounce rate of this blog has been hovering above 70% due to more than half of the visitors are first time visitors. I have also been attracting traffic from StumbleUpon which push the bounce rate even higher reaching 75.53% in September.
The numbers is alarming as most bloggers suggest the normal bounce rate should be around 40% to 70%. I have a fairly high bounce rate and it means i don’t have engaging audience who actually takes their time to read what i have to offer here. The blog becomes unhealthy. There are a few factors that contribute to the high bounce rate. The reason is due to my traffic sources.
- Traffic from StumbleUpon
- Traffic from search engines(currently stands at 45.08%)
- Many are first time visitors
In order to reduce the bounce rate, i need to make my blog more engaging than before. This is how i do it by two simple tactics.
1. By purchasing CommentLuv Premium Plugin
You probably won’t believe it. I bought CommentLuv Premium Plugin on September 27 and within a month of installing it, my bounce rate reduce to 71.19% in October.
I am not surprise. I never really do anything in October and CommentLuv Premium Plugin helps to engage people longer. Why is this so?
Because people are more willing to comment. I always stress spam comments will be deleted in this blog even if it gets through. People understand my comment policy. If they want to leave a comment, they have to read the post. I saw a great deal of interest not only on the new post i published. A lot of my older post is getting visits and everyday i see comments left in those post which i have a hard time responding to. It just keep adding, not counting spam comments that can’t get through. The numbers is enormous.
This is a plugin for more reader interaction and social engagement, i am already seeing the benefits.
2. Fine-tuning and tweaking my blog navigation
In the past, “content is king” is the only phrase i believe. I believe content is everything. With a solid content, you can achieve everything you want. How wrong i was! Whether you buy it or not, design is as important as content. Ever since i switched to Headway theme, i have the flexibility and functionality of tweaking my blog design anytime i need. The Headway visual editor is a breeze to work on.
In the past, i tried to put everything that can found on my sidebar. Whatever you can think of, i have it there. I think my readers need them, the categories, recent comments, total comments, archives, tag clould and recent post. Slowly i focus a lot on user experience. I tend to discover what items they are clicking and what items they are not. That’s why i told you why it’s important to unclutter your blog.
In Page Analytics inside Google Analytics is a good way of finding out what items your visitors is clicking. I tend to spend some time on collecting the results. Step by step, i tend to take away quite a number of items off my sidebar. Currently it consist of:
- Opt-in form
- Social widgets and Feedburner subscription
- Most popular post
- Two tools i endorse
That’s all i have there. As a results, my reader doesn’t need to consider too many choices. They can simply focus on my content and reduce my bounce rate by a further 6%.
My new visit remains the same in November but as you can see from the screenshot, my bounce rate has reduced to 65.33% and the average time on time has seen an increase of one minute compared to September. Based on these findings, you don’t have to provide your readers everything you have, just give them what they need and they will be happy.
Extra action: Putting more effort in a more “intriguing” headline
My creativity has its limits. I can’t think of a creative headline as well as Alex Whalley whom i think is a master for this. My headline tends to be more straightforward that immediately draw readers in. I try to put in more effort and will question myself whether the headline is good enough. My previous post on “7 Type of Headlines” not only is one of the most popular post but it also reminds me how important it is to have a headline that attracts readers.
My homepage consists of excerpts, headline is the main factor for people to continue reading. I guess people coming from search engines or StumbleUpon decides on two factors; blog navigation and topic that interests them. Putting in more effort on the headlines definitely helps in reducing the bounce rate as well.
Content still matters
Great content is still the foundation of everything you do with your blog. There is no way you will see any results if you have not been updating your blog or it has only few post. For current bloggers, the line between content and other aspects is very thin now. No longer we can rely on one aspects to build a successful blog. We need to consider every aspect that will have a say on our readership in order to maximize our blog potential. What do you think?
How is your bounce rate? Do you have any other tips you have done to reduce your bounce rate? Please leave a comment and tell us about it.
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Twitter: torymcbroom
65% is a pretty good bounce rate! I have found that in-content linking to other posts on your blog is a good way to lower bounce rate and increase time on site.
Tory McBroom recently posted..What Band-Aids, Granola Bars And Diapers Have In Common…And How It Can Make You Rich!
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Tory,
I guess that’s acceptable when you have most of your visitors are first time visitor. In-content is another good way to reduce the bounce rate and i am practicing that when i publish a new post.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
I find this post very informative and very effective! Using plugin like CommentLuv premium is a wise move to do. Thanks for sharing some ideas.
Francoise recently posted..My Arowana Is Not Eating No Matter What I Do !!!
Congrats on lowering your bounce rate! These are great tips! I guess it’s no surprise that with CommentLuv more people will stick around to read the post and make a comment. Since you have CommentLuv I think it’s great that you have provided the comment policy to help skim out some of the spam and by saying straight out that comments that slip through will still be deleted.
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Jen,
There is a lot of benefits when people is commenting on blogs that install CommentLuv Premium plugin. Definitely i wish they take some effort to earn it.
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Lye
Reducing the bounce rate by 10% is quite impressive. I have tried to reduce my bounce rate in the past, too. Using wp greet box to display a list of relevant links for se traffic and using more deep links to older articles in the first 100 words of an article. But this reduced my bounce rate only by one digit.. Will try to improve this a bit more with your tips.
Holger recently posted..Last Minute Deal: 15 Premium WordPress Themes für 29$
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Holger,
There are different ways to reduce the bounce rate. I guess you need to look at your traffic stats in a whole bigger. Is your visitors coming to your site through various keywords? You need to find out. All the best.
Appreciate the comments.
Lye
Twitter: bloggersethics
hi Lye. This is a very nice post and very helpful to. For me, bounce rate is the best metric to judge a blog and i rate it highly. My current bounce rate is around 54% and my target is to bring it below 40%
Tushar recently posted..Bloggers, Time to Do Your Blog Review
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Tushar,
54% is very good in my opinion. It’s pretty hard to go below 40% but please share with us the tactics if you achieve that.
Thanks for joining in the conversation.
Lye
I’m ashamed to say I have neglected my bounce rate recently. I’ve been spending so much time on promoting, creating content and learning from blog posts like this. Hold on, I’m going to have a look then I’ll be right back…
OK, not good at all, it is sitting at 73% for this past 30 days. I’ll have a look at my sidebar and headlines and see if I can fix that. I’m glad I stopped at this post now.
Frank Bowes recently posted..SilverShake Coupon Code
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Frank,
Having a high bounce rate is not a healthy sign afterall. We need to bring it down if we can. I am glad this post reminds you, all the best.
Thanks for dropping by.
Lye
It seems like the amount of money you’ve invested in commentluv premium plugin is totally worth it! Since more and more commentators are after building good relationships with the blog owners while of course getting benefit from what they are doing. Great contents too boost visitors’ interest at the same time.
Christina recently posted..KidKraft Outdoor Cottage Clubhouse Review – Rich In Details That Appeal
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Christina,
Indeed, in fact i seldom spend money on premium plugins but this is one investment i am happy about. It create a more sociable environment for this blog.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
You are right. It’s a money worth investment. Just by gaining more clients/customers, followers, readers, visitors or even blogging friends is enough to make a blog owner like you happy.
Christina recently posted..Little Tikes 6-In-1 Town Center Playhouse Review – Walls Open For Added Fun
I had the same situation a year ago from one of my blogs. It reached up to 85% bounce rate. I was very worried. I’ve checked on my Analytics and I’ve found out that I am getting searches from a keyword that my blog doesn’t have. I managed to lower the bounce rate by commenting to other blogs and sharing contents.
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Edward,
If the visit comes from search engine, we surely can’t control what keywords lead the visitors to our blog. Glad you found a way to reduce the bounce rate.
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Lye
Many bloggers uses comment luv premium to reduce their bounce rate. Not only that, this plug in can also help them to get accurate traffic results.
TracyAnn0312 recently posted..home loan rate
I found your discussion of ‘bounce rate’ very informative. I am a student (and sufferer) of anxiety attacks and have recently built a WordPress blog on the subject on anxiety as my way of telling the world about my experiences with it. As such, I am interested in making my site attractive and instructive. I now know that bounce rate is a good measure of how well I am succeeding with my site.
ellie
Ellie recently posted..Staving Off Anxiety Attacks
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Ellie,
Bounce rate gives you an idea whether your post is getting all the eyeballs it require. We should always make our blog as engaging as we can.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
Hmm, writing engaging headlines is definitely a challenge that I’m still trying to figure out. There sure is a lot more to blogs than just writing good content, but I’ve been learning a lot. Thanks for the advice.
Megan recently posted..Utopia Systems Hosted CRM
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Megan,
You are welcome. I hope you enjoy your time here.
Talk soon.
Lye
Around 65% is a good bounce rate! That’s based on my experience with the sites I handle.
Ian recently posted..how to meet women
Twitter: AdamPaudyal
Lye!
Now this is a great reminder for me to check my own bounce rate and see where I am at. I haven’t done anything special to decrease my bounce rate yet but that has to change.
Appreciate the reminder my friend.
Adam Paudyal recently posted..Progress Over Perfection: Why Should This Be Your Motto?
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Adam,
I decide to try out sometime when my bounce rate keeps increasing. Doesn’t look good at all.
Thanks for dropping by brother.
Lye
Regarding your commentluv remark above I saw exactly the same thing and also an increase in returning visitors.
I think people initially just skim the posts you make to pick up the general feel for it so that they can get a comment approved but as they keep coming back you can turn them into a “proper” reader, however, I think you need to target these people slightly differently to make sure they convert, I dont think they will ever be true loyal readers and wont be wating for your next post on the RSS feed, however, they will come back and thats the goal achieved!
lizza recently posted..Stop your heartburn
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Lizza,
That’s some good points you have made here. I believe i rather want some loyal readers who truly like what i am writing rather than people who are just looking for some links here.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
Hey Lye,
Congrats on the 10% decrease in bounce rate man
You’re right. It’s important to uncluster the blog and give visitors what they want with interesting posts. Because no matter how good the content is, if it’s too hard to find out and the title is not that eye-catching, no one is gonna stay for long.
Have a nice day!
Duy recently posted..By: black_raven
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Duy,
Thanks for the good wishes. Whatever the visitors need, we need to provide them.
Talk soon.
Lye
Stumbleupon can affect your bounce rate. People usually look at your page for a couple of seconds and then they are on to the next. Some people say who cares it is free traffic, and you never know if it will lead to a repeat visitor. My bounce rate has been dropping slightly and it is around 65 percent. The funny thing is I have another site that is around 45 percent that I don’t do much with and I rarely update.
Ray recently posted..Removing the WordPress Version Generator Tag
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Ray,
Traffic from Stumbleupon moves quickly, that’s why design plays a big part accompany with headlines can engage people easier.
Some sites bounce rate is lower probably due to the niche. It only targeted specific traffic.
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Lye
Twitter: Android_TidBits
My site is still a newborn but its bounce rate ever since I launched the site has been hovering around the 60% mark. Is that good? Average time on site seems okay, too–somewhere between 2 to 3 minutes. I suppose that’s also a good sign, right? But, I appreciate your tips because they are not things I have considered before.
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Hi Erich,
60% is not that bad but i believe you can bring it down further as you have a targeted traffic for your site. 2-3 minutes on a site is quite good too. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
Twitter: kaiser081391
I also notice that my bounce rate is increasing. So now I am focusing on creating more relevant and quality content. Hope I see improvements soon.
Twitter: stevescott1
Lye,
Bounce rate is still a metric I am struggling with and need to get better results at. I have even tried some of these things. It can be a tough one to reign in…specifically as you make leaps and bounds on bringing in new traffic.
(tons of new traffic means a lot more bounce I think)
Anyway, 65% bounce is great man! Congratz and good job on bringing your down!
Steve recently posted..4 Christmas *Goodies* for ANY Internet Marketer
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Steve,
I agree. I still remember the days when i was getting 40-50% bounce rate. As the blog grows, the bounce rate is getting higher and higher. I will see whether i can bring it down further.
Thanks for stopping by mate.
Lye
These are some good tips! I can especially imagine that the Commentluv plugin has helped decrease your bounce rate. I know that I am more likely to take time to comment and start discussions on blogs that use Commentluv. There are so many good blogs out there that I can’t take time to comment on every good one I read even if I want to, but if there’s another incentive in it… Well… It makes it easier for me to choose which blogs to comment on.
Twitter: Findmyblogway
Hi Karin,
CommentLuv plugin indeed do me a big favor in getting more comments and engagement. Besides that, my readers also have plenty of benefits, so it’s a win win situation for all.
Thanks for the comments.
Lye
Hey,
Bounce rate has always been a problem for me and i have tried countless methods to improve it. CommentLuv was not even a option but after reading your post i might give it a try. Thank you.
Warm wishes,
Dennis
Dennis recently posted..Top 10 Best Software Packs For Mac – 2011
I haven’t tried using commentluv yet on my sites, but I have noticed that good quality content laid out well with bold headers, bullet points, etc.. seem to really reduce my bounce rate, and in return Google seems to like my site better and sends me more traffic when I build sites like this.
Joliet Builder recently posted..Chicago Bathroom Remodeling Project
You must try then, it will improve traffic on your site plus your blog will one of the best.
Arjun Rai recently posted..Tour package Rajasthan
what you say is absolutely true, i came to your website because of i searched for blog using commentluv and your website showed up. at first i just skim your post for some information to comment, but the more i read, the more useful information i found and i continued to read. So, we can say that, commentluv give the first impression, but it is the content that really makes the visitor wanna stay.
Twitter: nirmalche
My blog’s bounce rate is at 79%. I will try your tips.
Thank you so much for this information, every time when i saw my analytic report of bounce rate it really depress me but these information will help me a lot and i hope it will work cool.
Arjun Rai recently posted..Polymer Analysis
Installing CommentLuv Premium sure is great!
It adds interaction and also motivation for your visitors to comment and give insightful ideas.
This is because they are more likely to stay and read through your website.
Wan recently posted..Heartburn No More – About heartburn and the e-book
And another thing I failed to add:-
Be sure to engage with your commenters. That can really help increase your visibility as the blog owner.
Wan recently posted..Heartburn No More – About heartburn and the e-book
Twitter: fungiftidea
Many proved that the use of the commentluv premium plugin really reduced their bounce rates. I guess this is the most reliable plugin where blog owners can invest their money. Since it can give benefits to both blog owners and commentators.
Stan recently posted..LG 3.6 CF Front Load Washer And Dryer Combo Review
I am troubled, as my site’s bounce rate is over 90%! Thank you for your suggestions. I’ll keep watching now whether it will be improved after taking your suggestions.
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